The Mediterranean Diet

No. 2 - Legumes

As with the wide variety of cabbages you can find in the market, there are lots of different legumes (some of which you probably didn't think were related to each other).

In botany the term legume has two meanings. Legume is a species of plant but the term also refers to any fruit that develops seeds lined up in a pod (most often the pod splits open down a seam on one side like “peas in a pod”). Legumes are also known as Pulses.

Legumes are great sources of protein and fiber. I have written on this in many columns and sidebars on this website. Making beans your choice for a starch with dinner as with Black Bean Cakes or Sea Bass with White Beans. Minestrone or Split Pea Soup with a salad makes a great dinner. Fill your pantry with canned or dried beans like kidneys, garbanzos and black beans.

Beans

Azuki Beans
Black Beans (Turtle Beans, Mexican Black Beans, Spanish Black Beans)
Cranberry Bean
Fava Bean (Broad Bean, Butter Bean, Windsor Bean, English Bean)
Flageolet
Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas)
Great Northern Bean
Lima Beans
Navy Beans (Yankee Bean, Boston Bean, Boston Navy Bean)
Pinto Beans
Red Bean
Red Kidney Beans (Mexican Beans, Red Beans)
Soy Bean (Edamame, Soya Bean)
White Kidney Bean (Cannellini Bean, Fazolia Bean)

Lentils

Brown Lentils
French Green Lentils
Pink Lentils (Red Lentils, Masoor Dal)
Yellow Lentils (Moong Dal)
Red Lentils
Black Lentils

Peas

English Peas
Black Eyed Peas

Peanuts

Runners
Valencia
Spanish
Virginia

Snap Beans

Chinese Long Beans
French Green Beans (Haricot Verts)
Green Bean (String Bean)
Runner Bean (Italian Flat Bean)
Wax Beans

Edible Pods

Okra
Snow Peas (Chinese Pea, Chinese Snow Pea)
Sugar Snap Peas (Snap Peas)

Recipes containing legumes:

Autumn Pork Chops
Black Bean Cakes
Black Bean Hummus
Black Bean Soup
Black Eyed Pea Salad
Cannellini Bean Soup
Chick Pea Salad
One Skillet Chicken with Black Beans
Green Beans with Walnut Vinaigrette
Green Beans with Red Onion
Hummus
Lentil and Black Bean Salad
Minestrone
Minted Peas
Red Beans and Rice
Sea Bass with White Beans and Tomato Vinaigrette
Split Pea Soup
Three Bean Salad
White Chili
Wild Rice and Black Beans